Redwire Native Youth Media Society / International Indigenous Youth Conference 2005

This project is a Youth Initiative that involved the Manager of Redwire Native Youth Media Society and member of the Secwepemec Nation in Vancouver, B.C. The Canadian Development Program was a funder of the International Indigenous Youth Conference (IIYC) in the Philippines in 2002. The Redwire Native Youth manager along with several other Indigenous youth were approached to consider hosting the next IIYC conference in Canada. Upon returning to Canada these indigenous youth formed a secretariat and organized the next IIYC conference - which happened in Coast Salish Territory with 180 delegates in June 2005. The IIYC is organized, administered and attended soley by Indgenous people to tackle the very serious issues of imperialist globalization.

Financial support for Indigenous youth to participate in an Aboriginal Journalists' exchange with the Pacific People's Partnership (P.P.P.) was provided by the Canadian Development Program. As a result of their participation the youth were able to gain valuable experience in international Indigenous reporting and related issues while building networks of Indigenous youth including a grass roots Indigenous youth group, LYAT on Ambrym Island in Vanuatu.

see the following sites:
http://iiyc.resist.ca/index.html
and http://redwiremag.com